East Bay Labyrinth 2005

Trip map. Sibley Volcanic Preserve is the lower route shown, and Tilden Park is the upper route. Thanks to Rich, as always, for setting this up.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:49 -0800

Frank Farmer
Trip map. Sibley Volcanic Preserve is the lower route shown, and Tilden Park is the upper route. Thanks to Rich, as always, for setting this up.

Group photo before the hike -- At the pavilion at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. From left: Rich, Bonnie, Kris, Frank. Photo taken by a mystery photographer.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:51 -0800

Frank Farmer
Group photo before the hike -- At the pavilion at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. From left: Rich, Bonnie, Kris, Frank. Photo taken by a mystery photographer.

Lots of colors in the plant life -- We're making our way around Round Top. No, not the Round Top near Carson Pass. This one is above Oakland and Berkeley. It is very overcast and we can't se ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:52 -0800

Frank Farmer
Lots of colors in the plant life -- We're making our way around Round Top. No, not the Round Top near Carson Pass. This one is above Oakland and Berkeley. It is very overcast and we can't se ...

Rich -- It's always a great hike with Rich

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:53 -0800

Frank Farmer
Rich -- It's always a great hike with Rich

Bonnie and Rich checking out the ridge top emerging out of the clouds

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:54 -0800

Frank Farmer
Bonnie and Rich checking out the ridge top emerging out of the clouds

Eucalyptus, coyote brush, blackberries, and a bit of poison oak -- A mix of native and introduced species. This area barely escaped the tragic Oakland Hills Fire of 1991.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:55 -0800

Frank Farmer
Eucalyptus, coyote brush, blackberries, and a bit of poison oak -- A mix of native and introduced species. This area barely escaped the tragic Oakland Hills Fire of 1991.

Ridge top panorama

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:14 -0800

Frank Farmer
Ridge top panorama

We started hiking down the ridge -- Then we realized it wasn't taking us where we wanted to go, the Sibley Volcano Caldera.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:56 -0800

Frank Farmer
We started hiking down the ridge -- Then we realized it wasn't taking us where we wanted to go, the Sibley Volcano Caldera.

It's hard to think of these rolling hills as volcanic -- However, when you see the rocks underlying the vegetation, you can see that they are basalt and other related material.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:16 -0800

Frank Farmer
It's hard to think of these rolling hills as volcanic -- However, when you see the rocks underlying the vegetation, you can see that they are basalt and other related material.

We're about 1700 feet above sea level -- This is the ridge that backs up behind Oakland and Berkeley. This view is looking east toward Walnut Creek and Mount Diablo, somewhere out in the clo ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:17 -0800

Frank Farmer
We're about 1700 feet above sea level -- This is the ridge that backs up behind Oakland and Berkeley. This view is looking east toward Walnut Creek and Mount Diablo, somewhere out in the clo ...

We're just cruising along.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:57 -0800

Frank Farmer
We're just cruising along.

We're just cruising along.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:57 -0800

Frank Farmer
We're just cruising along.

This next step is a doozy.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:39 -0800

Frank Farmer
This next step is a doozy.

Wow! What's that down there? Evidence of a bizarre and (possibly) intelligent civilization?

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:59 -0800

Frank Farmer
Wow! What's that down there? Evidence of a bizarre and (possibly) intelligent civilization?

We're looking across the Sibley Volcanic Caldera -- Tons of basalt were excavated from here, building streets all over the Bay Area, no doubt. This made it nice for the geologists, because t ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:33:59 -0800

Frank Farmer
We're looking across the Sibley Volcanic Caldera -- Tons of basalt were excavated from here, building streets all over the Bay Area, no doubt. This made it nice for the geologists, because t ...

Vertical panorama -- Tying together the high peak and the labyrinth at the bottom of the caldera.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:18 -0800

Frank Farmer
Vertical panorama -- Tying together the high peak and the labyrinth at the bottom of the caldera.

Hiking down to the bottom.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:19 -0800

Frank Farmer
Hiking down to the bottom.

This trail went down through a bunch of old cinders, kind of a deep coarse sandy material

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:34:00 -0800

Frank Farmer
This trail went down through a bunch of old cinders, kind of a deep coarse sandy material

At the center of the labyrinth. Naturally, we hiked all the way around the maze pattern -- All sorts of offerings have been left here. We left some of our own.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:34:01 -0800

Frank Farmer
At the center of the labyrinth. Naturally, we hiked all the way around the maze pattern -- All sorts of offerings have been left here. We left some of our own.

Bonnie looks for another labyrinth. She saw it from above.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:34:03 -0800

Frank Farmer
Bonnie looks for another labyrinth. She saw it from above.

It's over by that tree, on the little shelf

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:45 -0800

Frank Farmer
It's over by that tree, on the little shelf

Rich looks up the talus slope, while Bonnie heads for the other labyrinth

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:46 -0800

Frank Farmer
Rich looks up the talus slope, while Bonnie heads for the other labyrinth

I'll head up and take a look

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:47 -0800

Frank Farmer
I'll head up and take a look

Looking back to labyrinth #1, as I head up to #2

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:49 -0800

Frank Farmer
Looking back to labyrinth #1, as I head up to #2

Another view of Labyrinth #1

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:50 -0800

Frank Farmer
Another view of Labyrinth #1

Some of the basalt was pretty solid looking

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:51 -0800

Frank Farmer
Some of the basalt was pretty solid looking

Bonnie checking out Labyrinth #2

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:52 -0800

Frank Farmer
Bonnie checking out Labyrinth #2

Looking up to the cliff overlook. The communication towers are on the summit of Round Top

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:53 -0800

Frank Farmer
Looking up to the cliff overlook. The communication towers are on the summit of Round Top

Round Top emerging from the clouds -- These things are ugly, but do they carry our voice and data traffic!

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:54 -0800

Frank Farmer
Round Top emerging from the clouds -- These things are ugly, but do they carry our voice and data traffic!

Another look at the tree, as we leave the caldera

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:55 -0800

Frank Farmer
Another look at the tree, as we leave the caldera

Some type of cast iron drain pipe. I'm standing at the edge of a pretty steep little drop off

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:56 -0800

Frank Farmer
Some type of cast iron drain pipe. I'm standing at the edge of a pretty steep little drop off

Looking back at the caldera -- We felt pretty safe. This thing last erupted about 10,000,000 years ago, so we're told.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:57 -0800

Frank Farmer
Looking back at the caldera -- We felt pretty safe. This thing last erupted about 10,000,000 years ago, so we're told.

The clouds made it seem darker every now and then.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:58 -0800

Frank Farmer
The clouds made it seem darker every now and then.

Bonnie and Rich at the overlook

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:59 -0800

Frank Farmer
Bonnie and Rich at the overlook

Comm towers on the summit of Round Top -- The summit is private property and closed to visitors.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:00 -0800

Frank Farmer
Comm towers on the summit of Round Top -- The summit is private property and closed to visitors.

A sunnier panorama -- We hiked over to Labyrinth #3, and saw this view on the way

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:21 -0800

Frank Farmer
A sunnier panorama -- We hiked over to Labyrinth #3, and saw this view on the way

Looking down on an old quarry. It's kind of funny. This was formerly a blue-collar, industrial mining area. Now it's a ritzy high rent area, in communities such as Orinda. You can't touch a ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:00 -0800

Frank Farmer
Looking down on an old quarry. It's kind of funny. This was formerly a blue-collar, industrial mining area. Now it's a ritzy high rent area, in communities such as Orinda. You can't touch a ...

Looking out to Diablo Valley -- Lots of suburbia out there.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:01 -0800

Frank Farmer
Looking out to Diablo Valley -- Lots of suburbia out there.

Heading for another caldera ... and another labyrinth!

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:02 -0800

Frank Farmer
Heading for another caldera ... and another labyrinth!

Yup, that's a labyrinth, all right. Better check it out.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:03 -0800

Frank Farmer
Yup, that's a labyrinth, all right. Better check it out.

Check out the basalt up there!

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:04 -0800

Frank Farmer
Check out the basalt up there!

Characteristic offering area at the center. We saw a stamped penny from a restaurant in Boston, MA. Lots of colored glass. A half dollar

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:05 -0800

Frank Farmer
Characteristic offering area at the center. We saw a stamped penny from a restaurant in Boston, MA. Lots of colored glass. A half dollar

Side trail -- Covered with hay stalks. I wonder if the park agency did that? Or maybe the hay just stuck on trail when it was wet and muddy.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:06 -0800

Frank Farmer
Side trail -- Covered with hay stalks. I wonder if the park agency did that? Or maybe the hay just stuck on trail when it was wet and muddy.

Kris hikes out.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:07 -0800

Frank Farmer
Kris hikes out.

Another look at Labyrinth #3 -- The sun is really coming out now!

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:23 -0800

Frank Farmer
Another look at Labyrinth #3 -- The sun is really coming out now!

Looking south, toward Round Top. The Sibley Volcanic Caldera is beyond the right side of the grassy slope to the left of Round Top.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:24 -0800

Frank Farmer
Looking south, toward Round Top. The Sibley Volcanic Caldera is beyond the right side of the grassy slope to the left of Round Top.

Partly cloudy view to the east -- Mount Diablo is out there, in the clouds. Maybe we'll see it later.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:08 -0800

Frank Farmer
Partly cloudy view to the east -- Mount Diablo is out there, in the clouds. Maybe we'll see it later.

Closer view of Round Top -- In the foreground is an interesting looking basalt flow. Hey, this volcano stuff is for real!

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:50:09 -0800

Frank Farmer
Closer view of Round Top -- In the foreground is an interesting looking basalt flow. Hey, this volcano stuff is for real!

Looking north along Skyline Ridge. The area out there is closed to hiking access, to promote revegetation.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:25 -0800

Frank Farmer
Looking north along Skyline Ridge. The area out there is closed to hiking access, to promote revegetation.

Bonnie shooting a picture

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:49:31 -0800

Frank Farmer
Bonnie shooting a picture

Hikers we spotted along the way

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:10:53 -0800

Frank Farmer
Hikers we spotted along the way

An exotic variety

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:10:54 -0800

Frank Farmer
An exotic variety

Rich -- We're heading back to the trailhead. A marathon race was passing through the area, which limited the trails we chose to hike on. We didn't want to get in the runners' way.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:10:55 -0800

Frank Farmer
Rich -- We're heading back to the trailhead. A marathon race was passing through the area, which limited the trails we chose to hike on. We didn't want to get in the runners' way.

Bonnie

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:10:56 -0800

Frank Farmer
Bonnie

Colorful layers in the volcanic flows

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:10:57 -0800

Frank Farmer
Colorful layers in the volcanic flows

Sunny panorama -- Looking southeast

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:27 -0800

Frank Farmer
Sunny panorama -- Looking southeast

IMG_0355.JPG

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:10:59 -0800

Frank Farmer
IMG_0355.JPG

Scene change ... We hopped in the car and drove north, to Tilden Park. The ladies decided to ride on the steam train in the park, while Rich and I hiked up to the top of Vollmer Peak.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:00 -0800

Frank Farmer
Scene change ... We hopped in the car and drove north, to Tilden Park. The ladies decided to ride on the steam train in the park, while Rich and I hiked up to the top of Vollmer Peak.

Grassy area near Vollmer Peak

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:01 -0800

Frank Farmer
Grassy area near Vollmer Peak

Gate at the eastern edge of the park

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:02 -0800

Frank Farmer
Gate at the eastern edge of the park

Overlooking Briones Reservoir -- Looks like it has plenty of water, even this late in the season.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:03 -0800

Frank Farmer
Overlooking Briones Reservoir -- Looks like it has plenty of water, even this late in the season.

Another view of Briones Reservoir From the summit of Vollmer Peak

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:04 -0800

Frank Farmer
Another view of Briones Reservoir From the summit of Vollmer Peak

Southeastern panorama from Vollmer Peak -- Starting at Round Top on the right. Mount Diablo is in the middle of the picture, out in the clouds.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:29 -0800

Frank Farmer
Southeastern panorama from Vollmer Peak -- Starting at Round Top on the right. Mount Diablo is in the middle of the picture, out in the clouds.

Mount Diablo emerging from the clouds. Bonnie and I made plans for another hike there this winter. Want to come along?

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:05 -0800

Frank Farmer
Mount Diablo emerging from the clouds. Bonnie and I made plans for another hike there this winter. Want to come along?

Zoomed in on Round Top -- Now we can see why it has that name

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:06 -0800

Frank Farmer
Zoomed in on Round Top -- Now we can see why it has that name

Another Summit view -- Briones Reservoir, from the top of Vollmer Peak

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:07 -0800

Frank Farmer
Another Summit view -- Briones Reservoir, from the top of Vollmer Peak

pano-378-379.jpg

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:10:52 -0800

Frank Farmer
pano-378-379.jpg

Rich heads down the Skyline Trail -- Looking north. Don't ask me why, but I didn't take any pictures overlooking the Bay! I guess it seemed to hazy to get any good photos. Maybe another time ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:08 -0800

Frank Farmer
Rich heads down the Skyline Trail -- Looking north. Don't ask me why, but I didn't take any pictures overlooking the Bay! I guess it seemed to hazy to get any good photos. Maybe another time ...

We're on the East Bay Skyline Trail

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:09 -0800

Frank Farmer
We're on the East Bay Skyline Trail

And we're on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. We've seen this trail in other parks, including Annadel and Sugarloaf Ridge State Parks.

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:10 -0800

Frank Farmer
And we're on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. We've seen this trail in other parks, including Annadel and Sugarloaf Ridge State Parks.

Nearing the end ... The recent rains and warm weather lead to all sorts of insect population booms

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:11 -0800

Frank Farmer
Nearing the end ... The recent rains and warm weather lead to all sorts of insect population booms

Looks like some kind of termite colony! Yikes! We wrapped up our hike, and headed for home. We stopped along the way, for a nice mexican afternoon dinner at Chevy's in Dixon. Another great h ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Frank Farmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 23:11:12 -0800

Frank Farmer
Looks like some kind of termite colony! Yikes! We wrapped up our hike, and headed for home. We stopped along the way, for a nice mexican afternoon dinner at Chevy's in Dixon. Another great h ...